Children of a Fireland: A Novel by Gary Pak [in AsianWeek]
In the small, conservative town of Kanewai, on Oahu, Hawaii, mischievous messages start mysteriously appearing on the walls of the old town movie theater slotted for demolition. Tensions rise as...
A collection of 10 inventive stories that capture a glimpse of contemporary life in a Vietnamese village where the writer, actress, director, and painter Doan Le lived for 30 years...
Not exactly one of the newest titles (it arrived later than sooner on my desk), but certainly noteworthy because of its subject matter. It opens with the Pakistani birth of Sadika – an unwanted...
Another tale of Pakistan (finally, multiple entries in this area!), this one a lyrically written love story – with all sorts of obstacles, of course – about a modern daughter running an inherited silk factory, and...
Call me old, but who really wants to read about a promiscuous 16-year-old school girl who uses her so-called charm to seduce an older divorcée, her societal power to seduce her servant, and her academic prowess...
The discovery of an illicit link between the murder of a middle-aged salaryman and a college student is just the beginning. What the police find is a fantasy family the murdered man formed online,...
My husband started out a philosophy major until his father declared in no uncertain terms was he never going to pay that kind of money for his son to sit around talking...
“And this is how I remember it,” Chun Yu opens her memoir, written in narrative poetry. While her language is spare, her simple words paint evocative pictures of growing up. Stories of her separated...
While waiting for a batch of cookies to come out of the oven, a little boy plays hide-and-seek, counting all the way to 10, finding all the best places where he won’t be found....
Part of the recent Hopscotch Hill School series on challenges young children might face in the classroom. A little girl has great ideas at the start of a project but a tough...
Ever wonder why dogs always check out each other’s waggers? Well, here’s the secret, complete with fabulously entertaining pictures.
Review:
Wanda’s convinced that a monster lives in her closet. While everyone tries to tell her otherwise, Grandma actually confirms Wanda’s worst fears. But Grandma helps Wanda feel much better by making life for her...
A curious little bunny wanders through the colorful maze of plentiful flowers in a cottage garden before settling down for a snuggly little nap. The second picture book from <a...
Here’s a lovely collection of simple poems enhanced by colorful paper collages that capture a child’s wonder at everyday details: from the dawn to apples to the ocean to the snow to fish and...
The paperback reissue of a beautifully illustrated collection of interrelated haikus that follow a little girl as she explores the riches of a Japanese garden, counting all the...
An informative, non-threatening story for both children and parents about a little girl who finds out she has asthma and learns to thrive with it.
Review:
In rural Pakistan, little Rani is sure that her mother loves Bibi, the pet chicken, more than she loves Rani. Rani even secretly threatens to eat the chicken. But when Bibi disappears, and Rani...
Paperback reissue of the inspirational story of legendary Hank Aaron, who first had to break through color barriers in the world of professional major league baseball before he could break the Babe’s record for...
An energetic little girl spends a delightful day with her father, frolicking through the neighborhood playground, landing softly in the safe embrace of Daddy’s hug.
Review:
Sid the snake is anything but sick … he’s just growing up and having a grand old time with his new rattle and his old friends. For the youngest newbie readers, complete with comprehension...